Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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Ms Phelan touched on the issue of housing. If there is to be a universal basic income for an individual, surely work must be done on the means test for adaptation grants, particularly where there is a high level of need.

There is an anomaly. I call it that because I do not believe that anyone set out to do this deliberately. That person just did not think. Modern families are not reflected in grant applications, particularly applications in respect of children whose parents are no longer married. That status does not diminish the needs of the child, but it has a profound impact on the child's ability to stay with a parent if the house does not have a level access toilet, bathroom or something specific to the child's needs.

Ms Daly touched on the important matter of education. Previously, this committee heard from those in education as well as education providers that there appeared to be a pigeonholing of women and girls in terms of the availability of subjects, even at secondary level. Are we saying that women with disabilities are further disenfranchised from third level or meaningful employment if they cannot access even the low level of education options that other women can? We are at real risk of creating an unequal education system for people with disabilities if this issue is not addressed.

My final point is for Ms Phelan. Reference was made to assistive technology. Good work was done on adapting homes with integrated assistive technology, for example, a wheelchair user being able to use a control panel to open windows behind counters. How much more of that has Ms Phelan seen? How prevalent are such houses? I can think of two in the entire country.